McCann Tech Football 'Scary Good' in Rout

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- It was one of those days for the Ware High School football team on Saturday at McCann Tech.

 

Early in the fourth quarter, quarterback Hunter Miller dropped back for his 11th pass attempt of the game and finally got a completion -- enough for a rare first down, no less.

 

But McCann's secondary stripped the ball from the receiver, and Cristian Montoya scooped it up and returned it 14 yards.

 

That's a bad day.

 

And the scoreboard showed it as McCann Tech romped to a 60-6 victory in front of a small but hearty crowd at the rain-soaked Hornets Nest.

 

The Hornets improved to 4-0 this season with an average margin of victory of 46-7. In its last two games, McCann has outscored the competition, 113-6.

 

"It's scary how well we're playing," McCann coach Bob LeClair said. "These kids have all been working really hard, doing everything we ask of them. And this is the end result. This is what we get, because of their work and their dedication.

 

"They've taken their talents, and they've made the most of them, they really have."

 

McCann was dominant in every phase of the game on Saturday, outgaining Ware (2-2) by a margin of 357-36. It's a safe bet those numbers would have been even gaudier had McCann's starters taken the field in the second half after taking a 46-0 lead into half-time.

 

But the Hornets' second string was not second best to the Ware starters. McCann's reserves won the last 22 minutes, 14-6.

 

Starting QB Nick Lincoln (2-for-2 for 35 yards and a TD, 11 yards and a TD rushing) had a good view of those reserves. He and his fellow starters spent the second half clustered beneath umbrellas watching the action.

 

"It doesn't really help our stats and all," Lincoln said with a laugh. "But for the JV, it's good to get them out there. They're learning. It's going to make them a better team in the long run. It's good."

 

McCann Tech coach Bob LeClair, who last week became the winningest coach in school history, has had some chances to glimpse the future of the Hornets' program in the second halves of this year's three blowout wins.

 

"You can see -- even the younger kids -- how talented they are," LeClair said. "Those kids can play. ... We could be [good for a while]. I hope so."

 

McCann jumped ahead early on Saturday when the defense drove Ware back 5 yards on its first series of downs and Levi Lawson fielded the ensuing punt at his 45 and went all the way for a 6-0 Hornets lead.

 

The Hornets ran into a little trouble on their next possession as Lincoln fumbled the exchange from center, touching off a run of three lost fumbles on three straight plays as the teams traded possession at about the Ware 15.

 

Finally, Ware held onto the ball long enough for Miller to get off a pass that Vincent intercepted and returned to the visitors' 22.

 

Two plays later, Ethan Heller scored the first of his three touchowns. Brian Pecor (107 yards rushing) tacked on the conversion, and it was 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

 

McCann scored four TDs in the second quarter.

 

Heller broke tackles up the left side for a 37-yard run. Lincoln hit Adam Dufur for a 10-yard scoring strike. Vincent recovered a fumble to give McCann a short field and set up a 3-yard run by Lincoln. And Pecor went 8 yards on his last carry of the day to cap a 65-yard drive.

 

In the second half, backup QB Dakota Bolte drove the Hornets from their 39 to the Ware 8 before McCann had to give the ball back on downs. But Bolte got the ball back and returned a fumble 36 yards to the 4; four plays Cristian Montoya scored from the 7. David Crittelli's conversion pushed the lead to 54-0.

 

Ware finally got on the board in the fourth, taking advantage of a short field to go 16 yards in a drive Miller finished with a 9-yard run.

 

The game's final score came from McCann freshman lineman Jazz Dean, who recovered a fumble deep in Ware's end and rumbled 7 yards into the end zone.

 

McCann goes on the road on Friday night to play Palmer (2-2). Palmer beat Pathfinder on Friday night, 27-9.